The Sentinel

St. Joseph Community Festival scaled back due to Covid-19

The pandemic wounded yet another annual summer tradition this year. The St. Joseph Community Festival committee announced that this year's celebration will be scaled down considerably as the state continues to navigate through it reopening phases.

In a statement released on Facebook, the festival committee announced that after conversations with the American Legion, the village officials and management from the carnival vendor, a decision was reached to cancel most of the events for this year's festival.

"With all of the unknowns at this time due to the coronavirus it is hard to plan what might or might not be allowed in August," Josh Reese wrote in his post in the St. Joseph, IL - Information and Community Events public group on Facebook. "We are planning on keeping a few events."

As of June 10, the planning committee plans to offer the following events:

Saturday, August 1
12pm • Antique and Lawnmower Tractor Pull Location: The Sports Complex

Saturday, August 8
7am - 10am • St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Department Pancake Breakfast

6pm • Community Festival Parade
Location: Downtown

Dusk • Festival Fireworks
Location: Sports Complex

The Pancake Breakfast is listed as tentative. The SJSFD still needs to acquire applicable temporary food permits from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. The tractor pull was schedule to one week earlier due to the availability of the sled.

Reese signed off with a piece of good news after thanking the community for their support. The dates for next year's festival are scheduled to be held on August 12-14 in 2021.

SJO senior spotlights with Brady Lewis, Asjah Fonner & Tyler Jones

Brady Lewis

Clubs & Activities

Coffee Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
A younger brother

Favorite SJO memories:
He has been a part of the Coffee Club at SJO for the past two years and enjoyed making and delivering coffee to SJO staff members every Thursday morning. Each member of the staff was always happy to see Brady, with or without coffee in hand.

Favorite classes:
Classes with Mrs. Beth Beckett

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Manwaring, Mrs. White, Mrs. Bayles, and Mrs. Beckett.

Advice to future SJO students:
Always do your best.

Asjah Fonner

Clubs & Activities

Drama Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
A younger brother

Hobbies:
Creative writing and reading

Favorite SJO memories:
She enjoyed everything about Drama Club and will always remember being a part of the musicals during both her junior and senior years.

Favorite classes:
Journalism and all of her English classes

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School and Mrs. Alisyn Franzen at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Parkland College majoring in Secondary English Dducation. She plans to transfer to Eastern Illinois University after two year.

Advice to future SJO students:
Push yourself to finish your homework, and don’t give up on what makes you happy.

Tyler Jones

Clubs & Activities

Drama Club
Football (1 year)

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Four older and three younger brothers

Hobbies:
Running and playing video games

Favorite SJO memories:
His greatest memories at SJO include his experiences in Drama Club during his freshman and sophomore years, working in the SJO greenhouse during Horticulture class, and attending post prom as a junior.

Favorite class:
Horticulture

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Kirk at St. Joseph Grade School, Mrs. Ford at St. Joseph Middle School, and Mrs. Kelly Steffen and Mrs. Ashley Krisman at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

Military Commitment:
He joined the Army National Guard and reports for Basic Training at Fort Benning on June 15.

College:
Parkland College majoring in Physical Therapy.

Advice to future SJO students:
Do not procrastinate.

Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.